Hook and Irons

Being an indie brand and trying to survive out in the real world with the big fish has its own challenges. There is no way that Hook & Irons can compete with big apparel companies. We don't have the budget for advertising and we don't have the staff to do all of the things I'd like to do. My idea from the very beginning has been to reach out to other indie brands that I respect and admire, offer up a collaboration and see what comes of it. This way the little fish can swim together.

One of Paulvilles Great Tees

I have been a fan of Paul McCreery for about a year now. I found Paulville Goods in the same way most good things happen on the internet--as you're randomly reading and learning about something else. I checked out his site, read his story and ordered a couple tees. All hand-drawn by Paul, and all hand printed by Paul, one at a time in Austin, Texas.

Around the same period, I started to notice what a great following we have in Texas and I wanted to do a design that is Texas inspired. I reached out to Paul. We brainstormed for a while on some imagery and phrasing. A few days later he turned over the 'True Grit' design. Simple, bold and perfect for Hook & Irons, this is the first design in a series collaboration for us.

Pic of Paul inking the design

Final Design

We chose 'True Grit' for two reasons. First is the obvious cowboy reference. Second is, I'm not sure there are two words that better describe the American Firefighter. We hope you like the design, and if you're looking for some other killer designs and unique gifts for this holiday season, swing by Paulville and pick up a couple of his tees. You won't regret it.